Appeals Court Deems Obama Healthcare Mandate Unconstitutional

Note to Obama: Don’t take ideas from plutarchist Massachusetts governors (I do not expect him to take my advice…) Reuters reports:

An appeals court ruled Friday that President Barack Obama’s healthcare law requiring Americans to buy healthcare insurance or face a penalty was unconstitutional, a blow to the White House.

The Appeals Court for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, found that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage, but also ruled that the rest of the wide-ranging law could remain in effect.

The legality of the so-called individual mandate, a cornerstone of the 2010 healthcare law, is widely expected to be decided by the Supreme Court. The Obama administration has defended the provision as constitutional.

The case stems from a challenge by 26 U.S. states which had argued the individual mandate, set to go into effect in 2014, was unconstitutional because Congress could not force Americans to buy health insurance or face the prospect of a penalty.

“This economic mandate represents a wholly novel and potentially unbounded assertion of congressional authority: the ability to compel Americans to purchase an expensive health insurance product they have elected not to buy, and to make them re-purchase that insurance product every month for their entire lives,” a divided three-judge panel said.

Obama and his administration had pressed for the law to help halt the steep increases in healthcare costs and expand insurance coverage to the more than 30 million Americans who are without it.

You know what, just because you have people insured doesn’t mean your healthcare system is good. I was able to get health insurance thanks to the Health Insurance Reforms of 2010, but you know what: I’m STILL stuck with the same disease I’ve been enduring for the past 4 goddamned years. The real problem with American medicine is that American physicians are FUCKING RETARDED!

DeepCough

You know what, just because you have people insured doesn’t mean your healthcare system is good. I was able to get health insurance thanks to the Health Insurance Reforms of 2010, but you know what: I’m STILL stuck with the same disease I’ve been enduring for the past 4 goddamned years. The real problem with American medicine is that American physicians are FUCKING RETARDED!

Jin The Ninja

at it’s core, western medicine in general is problematic. I’d love to say it’s just american physicians, but the truth is even up here in the frozen northlands, where HC is free, all they want to do is drug you and laugh when you mention anything holistic or alternative.

DeepCough

Hey, at least using weed as an alternative in your neck of the woods ain’t a federal offense.

Jin The Ninja

no but if stevie h gets his way, it will be again.

quartz99

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

DeepCough

Yeah, the bottom 50% all practice in the South, I know this for a fact.

quartz99

Nah, there’s a whole ton of them in Wisconsin. And Michigan. I know a girl who broke her leg and they set it _backwards_ and didn’t figure that out until it had healed and they had to rebreak it to fix it. And I once had major surgery without anesthetic because they “forgot” and when the doctor asked if I could feel him drawing the lines for the incision with a marker and I said “yes” he told me there was no possible way I could feel that and started cutting. Instead of calling someone in to put me out when I started screaming and kicking they strapped me down on the tables and had orderlies hold me down. That’s the state of medicine in the Midwest.

E.B. Wolf

Not all of them. There are plenty of Dr. Hacks in Jersey too.

Anonymous

at it’s core, western medicine in general is problematic. I’d love to say it’s just american physicians, but the truth is even up here in the frozen northlands, where HC is free, all they want to do is drug you and laugh when you mention anything holistic or alternative.

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

quartz99

Not to mention the people hurt by this mandate that penalizes people who aren’t making enough to pay for insurance but are making too much to qualify for state medicaid are a substantial number of people in the middle, mainly women, who pay a higher insurance rate even on plans that don’t cover maternity costs, and families with dependent children, who may have to come up with upwards of a couple thousand a month for insurance. How STUPID is it to pass a law that says “if you can’t afford to pay for insurance we’re going to fine you”?! The people who can afford health insurance don’t need to be forced to buy it and will never face a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, we need healthcare changes like crazy. But insurance is stupidly expensive, and nothing but a con game. I am seriously contemplating taking the $600/mo I’m putting into insurance and just putting it into a savings account. I have nothing left over to save toward things like my deductible at this point, so I actually will be doing better saving that money for emergencies than I am sending it to insurance companies that worm out of paying anything! For my husband and I, insurance over the last year has covered a combined ~$300. I’ve paid about $1500 out of pocket. What the hell am I sending $7200/yr to this other company for? I hear “but what happens if you get into a car accident next week, before you build up your savings?” The answer is, my insurance will only cover a couple nights in the hospital and only a percentage of the cost of the ER visit so I’ll have to work out a payment plan with the hospital anyway… how does the insurance help me?

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Anonymous

Just remember, 50% of all physicians were in the bottom half of their graduating class.

The other 50% are so booked that it can take six months to get in to see them and they see people on their lunch break when it’s an emergency visit.

Mr Willow

The mandate is simply directed in the wrong direction.

The government should be mandating itself with providing its people with quality healthcare, using tax money to fund it. Instead, it is mandating people pay private industry to provide them with substandard insurance (and that’s being generous).

A prime example of the Corporatocracy in practice.

Mr Willow

The mandate is simply directed in the wrong direction.

The government should be mandating itself with providing its people with quality healthcare, using tax money to fund it. Instead, it is mandating people pay private industry to provide them with substandard insurance (and that’s being generous).

A prime example of the Corporatocracy in practice.

Mr Willow

The mandate is simply directed the opposite way.

The government should be mandating itself with providing its people with quality healthcare, using tax money to fund it. Instead, it is mandating people pay private industry to provide them with substandard insurance (and that’s being generous).

A prime example of the Corporatocracy in practice.

DeepCough

Hey, at least using weed as an alternative in your neck of the woods ain’t a federal offense.

RodneyLee

Getting rid of the FDA and USDA might be better insurance for Healthy food, which leads to Healthy people
but then how would big Pharma survive

RodneyLee

Getting rid of the FDA and USDA might be better insurance for Healthy food, which leads to Healthy people
but then how would big Pharma survive

Jin The Ninja

pseudo libertarian logic is so strange. if the US were to rid itself of those two agencies, what do you REALLY think will happen?

In La-La Randyland does Big Agro suddenly grow a conscious? Do they stop spraying, polluting and poisoning us and the environment? GMOs don’t exist in your world?

I am all for a new form of social organisation, but i hope i never across as completely delusional as you.

Hadrian999

funny how people forget the reasons that the usda and fda were created in the first place

Hadrian999

are people honestly worried about that fine….lol if you ever really need medical care and don’t have insurance you are either going to be in debt for life or bankrupt, whats a little fine on top of that

Hadrian999

are people honestly worried about that fine….lol if you ever really need medical care and don’t have insurance you are either going to be in debt for life or bankrupt, whats a little fine on top of that

Hadrian999

are people honestly worried about that fine….lol if you ever really need medical care and don’t have insurance you are either going to be in debt for life or bankrupt, whats a little fine on top of that

quartz99

Not if you’ve saved the money you would have spent on insurance and held it aside specifically for emergencies. That’s key. You actually have to save the money. On the other hand, you have something serious happen and have insurance, you’re still going to end up in debt or bankrupt trying to cover what the insurance doesn’t, because it covers almost nothing.

DeepCough

Yeah, the bottom 50% all practice in the South, I know this for a fact.

Anonymous

no but if stevie h gets his way, it will be again.

Anonymous

pseudo libertarian logic is so strange. if the US were to rid itself of those two agencies, what do you REALLY think will happen?

In La-La Randyland does Big Agro suddenly grow a conscious? Do they stop spraying, polluting and poisoning us and the environment? GMOs don’t exist in your world?

I am all for a new form of social organisation, but i hope i never across as completely delusional as you.

Hadrian999

funny how people forget the reasons that the usda and fda were created in the first place

Anonymous

Nah, there’s a whole ton of them in Wisconsin. And Michigan. I know a girl who broke her leg and they set it _backwards_ and didn’t figure that out until it had healed and they had to rebreak it to fix it. And I once had major surgery without anesthetic because they “forgot” and when the doctor asked if I could feel him drawing the lines for the incision with a marker and I said “yes” he told me there was no possible way I could feel that and started cutting. Instead of calling someone in to put me out when I started screaming and kicking they strapped me down on the tables and had orderlies hold me down. That’s the state of medicine in the Midwest.

Anonymous

Not if you’ve saved the money you would have spent on insurance and held it aside specifically for emergencies. That’s key. You actually have to save the money. On the other hand, you have something serious happen and have insurance, you’re still going to end up in debt or bankrupt trying to cover what the insurance doesn’t, because it covers almost nothing.

http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

Good riddance. This is one occasion where America’s politicized courts and bitter partisanship may accidentally serve us well by default. It may be Republican judges looking for any way possible to hose the Democrats publicly…but for this issue…I’ll take whatever support we can get. The mandate was an overreach…by a longshot…not mandating that people enroll in a public network of support…but mandating that people purchase a privately held product from independent corporations…and a lousy product at that! The lesson here is when the liberals in this country get a mandate from people and have a majority…do something legal and useful with it…don’t just sell out within seconds of receiving wheelbarrows of cash from insurance lobbies.

DeepCough

Let’s be realistic–Democrats have never been truly liberal.

http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

Good riddance. This is one occasion where America’s politicized courts and bitter partisanship may accidentally serve us well by default. It may be Republican judges looking for any way possible to hose the Democrats publicly…but for this issue…I’ll take whatever support we can get. The mandate was an overreach…by a longshot…not mandating that people enroll in a public network of support…but mandating that people purchase a privately held product from independent corporations…and a lousy product at that! The lesson here is when the liberals in this country get a mandate from people and have a majority…do something legal and useful with it…don’t just sell out within seconds of receiving wheelbarrows of cash from insurance lobbies.

DeepCough

Let’s be realistic–Democrats have never been truly liberal.

DeepCough

Let’s be realistic–Democrats have never been truly liberal.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

ICE

Health insurance needs to be equal for everyone and paid by the money coming in from taxes. We need a new breed of doctors, not these money hungry devils that do more harm then good hidden behind their little facade of being good. I tried buying health insurance and got ripped off so its 30 millions without health insurance and the rest getting ripped off, great system.

E.B. Wolf

Not all of them. There are plenty of Dr. Hacks in Jersey too.

E.B. Wolf

Not all of them. There are plenty of Dr. Hacks in Jersey too.

5by5

“Note to Obama: Don’t take ideas from plutarchist Massachusetts governors” Especially when the governor himself won’t stick up for his own program in the face of Bachmann-type wackjobbery.
Nor should you be putting out Bob Dole’s health care plan from 1994 (which is basically what this is). You should be putting out universal Medicare for All just like every other civilized country has, and they’re spending less than we are, and getting better health results.

5by5

“Note to Obama: Don’t take ideas from plutarchist Massachusetts governors” Especially when the governor himself won’t stick up for his own program in the face of Bachmann-type wackjobbery.
Nor should you be putting out Bob Dole’s health care plan from 1994 (which is basically what this is). You should be putting out universal Medicare for All just like every other civilized country has, and they’re spending less than we are, and getting better health results.